German Grammar Hub

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388 Total Rules
71 Chapters
6 CEFR level
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Active filters: CEFR level: A1
A1 Noun Gender Verified

Three Grammatical Genders (der, die, das)

Master German nouns by learning their {article|gender} and specific word endings from day one.

  • • German has three grammatical genders: Masculine, F...
  • • Articles are {der|m} (masc), {die|f} (fem), and {d...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Noun Gender Verified

Male Persons are Masculine ({der|m})

If the person is biologically male, the noun is grammatically masculine—it's the most logical gender rule in German.

  • • Biological male persons always take the masculine...
  • • This applies to family (father, brother) and male...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Noun Gender Verified

German Genders: Women and Girls (die/das)

Nouns for female persons are feminine ({die|f}), usually ending in -in, except for the neuter 'das Mädchen'.

  • • Female people and professions take the feminine ar...
  • • Most female professions are formed by adding the s...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Noun Gender Verified

German Nouns Ending in -ung (Always Feminine)

If a German noun ends in -ung, use the article die—it's one of the few absolute rules.

  • • Nouns ending in -ung are always feminine (die).
  • • They are usually formed from verb stems.
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Noun Gender Verified

German Nouns Ending in -chen (Always Neuter)

Any German noun ending in the diminutive suffix -chen is always neuter, regardless of its original gender.

  • • Nouns ending in the suffix -chen are always neuter...
  • • Adding -chen makes a noun a 'diminutive' (small or...
11 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Noun Gender Verified

German Noun Genders: He, She, or It? (der, die, das)

Nouns and their articles are inseparable units; the article determines the noun's grammatical identity and role.

  • • German nouns have three genders: Masculine, Femini...
  • • Always learn the article ({der|m}, {die|f}, {das|n...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Case System Verified

German Nominative Case: Subjects Explained (Nominativ)

The Nominative case identifies the subject of a sentence, acting as the 'default' form for all German nouns.

  • • Nominative is for the subject—the person or thing...
  • • It answers the questions 'Who?' (wer?) or 'What?'...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Case System Verified

German Articles (der, die, das): Which 'The' to Use?

Mastering der, die, and das in Nominative is the essential foundation for all German sentence structures.

  • • German has three genders: masculine (der), feminin...
  • • Use Nominative for the subject or when identifying...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Case System Verified

German Indefinite Articles: A and An (ein, eine)

Pick `ein` for boys and things, `eine` for girls; add an `-n` for boys in the object spot.

  • • Use ein (masc/neut) and eine (fem) for unspecific,...
  • • Indefinite articles change based on the noun's gen...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Noun Gender Verified

German Plural Article: All Roads Lead to 'die'

In German, forget gender for plurals: every noun uses 'die' when there's more than one.

  • • All plural nouns use 'die' as their definite artic...
  • • Singular genders (der, die, das) all disappear whe...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Verb Tenses Verified

Present Tense Regular Verb Endings

Regular German verbs follow a strict 'Stem + Ending' pattern (e, st, t, en, t, en) for all present tense sentences.

  • • Identify the verb stem by removing the infinitive...
  • • Add personal endings: -e, -st, -t, -en, -t, -en.
8 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Verb Tenses Verified

Sein: To Be (Present Tense)

Memorize the six irregular forms of `sein` to unlock identity, descriptions, and basic survival in German.

  • • Sein means 'to be' and is highly irregular in Germ...
  • • Use it for identity, profession, origin, age, and...
11 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Verb Tenses Verified

The Verb 'To Have' (haben): Possession & Feelings

Master 'haben' to describe possession and feelings like hunger using its unique 'du hast' and 'er hat' forms.

  • • Haben means to have for possession and physical st...
  • • Irregular in du (hast) and er/sie/es (hat) forms.
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Verb Tenses Verified

German Vowel Change: 'e' to 'i' (Stem-Vowel Change)

In German, many common 'e' verbs flip to 'i' only for 'du' and 'er/sie/es' in the present tense.

  • • Short 'e' in the stem changes to 'i' in the presen...
  • • The change only happens for 'du' and 'er/sie/es' f...
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A1 Verb Tenses Verified

German Verbs with a-ä Change (fahren, schlafen)

The stem vowel 'a' becomes 'ä' ONLY for 'du' and 'er/sie/es' in specific strong German verbs.

  • • Only changes in 2nd person (du) and 3rd person (er...
  • • The vowel 'a' becomes 'ä' (e.g., fahren -> fährst)...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Case System Verified

German Nominative Case After 'To Be' (sein)

After the verb `sein`, nouns always remain in the Nominative case because they identify the subject.

  • • The verb `sein` acts like an equals sign between t...
  • • Both the subject and the noun following `sein` sta...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Word Order Verified

German Word Order: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)

In a basic German statement, always place the conjugated verb in the second position after the subject.

  • • Subject goes first, Verb stays in Position 2, Obje...
  • • The conjugated verb must always be the second elem...
12 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Word Order Verified

German W-Questions: Who, What, Where (W-Fragen)

Form German W-questions by placing the W-word first, the conjugated verb second, and the subject third.

  • • W-word always takes Position 1 in the sentence.
  • • The conjugated verb must stay in Position 2.
12 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Pronouns Verified

German Personal Pronouns: I, you, he, she, it (Nominativ)

Nominative personal pronouns identify the subject of the sentence and must match the grammatical gender of the nouns they replace.

  • • Nominative pronouns represent the 'subject' or 'do...
  • • Use 'du' for friends/family and 'Sie' (capitalized...
11 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Pronouns Verified

Formal 'You' (Sie)

When in doubt, use 'Sie' to remain polite and avoid social awkwardness in German-speaking environments.

  • • Use Sie for strangers, bosses, and formal situatio...
  • • Always capitalize the 'S' in Sie.
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Pronouns Verified

German Pronouns: Matching Gender (er, sie, es)

Always replace a noun with the pronoun that matches its grammatical article: der=er, die=sie, das=es.

  • • German pronouns must match the grammatical gender...
  • • Use `er` for masculine nouns, `sie` for feminine,...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Pronouns Verified

German Possessive: My (mein)

`mein` must match the gender and case of the noun it describes, acting like a grammar chameleon.

  • • `mein` means "my" and changes based on the noun's...
  • • Use `mein` for masculine and neuter nouns in the N...
11 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Pronouns Verified

Informal 'Your' (dein)

Use 'dein' with friends and family, making sure its ending matches the gender and case of the noun.

  • • Used for informal "your" when speaking to one pers...
  • • Changes endings based on the gender and case of th...
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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A1 Pronouns Verified

German Possessives: His/Her (sein/ihr)

Match the stem to the owner and the ending to the gender of the noun being owned.

  • • Use `sein` for masculine/neuter owners (his/its).
  • • Use `ihr` for feminine/plural owners (her/their).
10 examples 8 exercises 8 FAQ
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Frequently Asked Questions About German Grammar

SubLearn covers 388 German grammar rules organized across 6 CEFR proficiency levels (from A1 to C2), spanning 71 structured chapters. Each rule includes clear explanations, real-world examples, and interactive practice exercises.

Our German grammar curriculum covers CEFR levels from A1 to C2. Each level is designed to match your current proficiency — beginners start with basic sentence patterns at A1, while advanced learners tackle nuanced structures at C1-C2.

Yes! All German grammar rules, explanations, and examples are completely free to access. You can browse the full curriculum, read detailed explanations, and practice with exercises at no cost.

Grammar is organized into 71 thematic chapters following the CEFR framework. Each chapter groups related rules together — for example, verb tenses, sentence structure, or particles — so you can learn related concepts in a logical sequence.

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